Rangers 0-1 Inverness CT

THE jeers which rang around Ibrox last night said it all. This could have been the night the SPL championship was won and lost.

THE jeers which rang around Ibrox last night said it all. This could have been the night the SPL championship was won and lost.

All those Rangers fans who had streamed for the Ibrox exits as soon as Ian Black's injury-time penalty had beaten Allan McGregor certainly believed it was over and that Celtic would make it four in a row.

Those who stayed on to the bitter end did so to boo and jeer as Rangers' players trudged for the sanctuary of the dressing room.

David Weir was already there, having been sent off in the first minute of the four added on after he had conceded the penalty with a clumsy challenge on David Proctor.

Weir will miss Sunday's Homecoming Scottish Cup tie against Hamilton but perhaps the break will give him time to think about what he was trying to do.

It was a stupid tackle by such an experienced campaigner but it was enough to give Inverness the chance to lift themselves off the bottom of the SPL.

They hadn't managed to force McGregor into a save all night yet they are now one point in front of Falkirk.

This was only Inverness' third win against Rangers in 15 matches and the cost to Walter Smith's side is likely to be severe.

There will be more calls for the heads of the management team but at least Smith, who would have been feeling the pain more than most, was honest enough to admit his side didn't deserve to win.

They started well enough, although there was no real invention or edge. Even so, they had Inverness pinned back but chances, although not too many, were squandered and Inverness grew in confidence.

As the minutes ticked away in the second half Rangers' work became increasingly erratic and key players like Barry Ferguson and Steve Davis had little or no influence.

Rangers were pretty hopeless even if they had started the game with greater desire and vigour than Inverness, who had been beaten by Motherwell on Saturday.

Their manager, Terry Butcher, a former Ibrox hero of course, had said before kick-off that this was the perfect match after the weekend defeat. And so it was.

Rangers teenager John Fleck expressed his delight at returning to first-team action - he was back in with Kyle Lafferty relegated to the bench - by darting down the left but he was caught offside within seconds.

His start flattered to deceive and he wouldn't last the 90 minutes.

Kris Boyd did although the tone for his night was set when he wasted a glorious opportunity within minutes of the kick-off.

Steve Davis played a perfectly-weighted pass through to Boyd, who had only to look up and pick his spot. The striker took a touch, which was heavy, and all he could do was stretch and blooter the ball into the crowd.

Inverness should have been a goal down before they even had a chance to get a few touches themselves but they got away with it although Rangers, playing 4-4-2, continued to surge forward in search of the goals and the points which would keep them at the top of the SPL.

Caley Thistle, on the other hand, were desperate to grab the points which would keep them in the top flight but their back four and middle five were being pressed and squeezed by their opponents.

Dougie Imrie and Eric Odhiambo were left out - Filipe Morais and Adam Rooney were in - and were probably relieved as they watched Rangers swarm forward. Their desire was obvious with Ferguson anxious to get on the ball and dictate.

The captain looked hungry and sharp again but he too flattered to deceive while Kirk Broadfoot was just Kirk Broadfoot.

He wasted two openings created by Madjid Bougherra before playing a poor pass intended for Boyd.

The striker, though, did get on the ball when he used his bulk to nudge keeper Ryan Esson out of the way to take Kenny Miller's cutback but the keeper blocked the shot.

A minute later Esson was nowhere when Sasa Papac's looping cross from the left dropped just under the bar, forcing Grant Munro to make a clearance.

Seconds after that Fleck fired in a shot but it was too straight to trouble the keeper.

The Highlanders were struggling to get out of their own half but they were helped considerably midway through the first 45 when Rangers' passing started to go astray.

Suddenly, players were failing to find team-mates and Caley Thistle were able to get upfield where a Morais shot flew wide.

Then Weir gave away a free-kick with a crude block on Rooney and had to defend the delivery but not very well. The ball spun straight up and Bougherra had to nod clear.

But Miller pounced in 29 minutes, poked the ball beyond Esson and into the net before wheeling away in celebration.

It was short-lived because the far-side assistant, Steven Craven, had his flag up for offside. Miller complained but the decision was correct.

The same player tried to push a pass through an impossibly narrow channel looking for Boyd but Inverness cleared and Rangers' fans began to growl as unrest at the lack of goals grew.

Last time Inverness were at Ibrox, back in November, in fact, they were five down at half-time. But not this time, although Papac deserved a goal when he slid in to connect with a Davis chip across goal just before the break.

The second half started the way the first had ended, with Rangers giving the ball away. This time it was Ferguson but Inverness defender Lionel Djebi-Zadi had to concede a corner which was cleared although Djebi-Zadi gave away another corner.

This one was also defended but Miller won another on the left-hand side. It was taken quickly and short and Fleck clipped the ball to the far post but Broadfoot hesitated and the chance was gone.

That was typical of Rangers who wanted too many touches and passes when the shots were on.

Then again, Broadfoot, in acres of space, had an attempt at goal when he should have looked for a team-mate. The big, lumbering full-back's chip was a simple take for Esson.

More growls and howls from Rangers' fans as the minutes slipped away without sign of a goal.

Morais took a knock and was taken off in 62 minutes with Imrie taking over. He went up front with Rooney which was a clear indication Inverness fancied their chances.

But Rangers took off Maurice Edu and sent on Lafferty which gave them a three-pronged attack. Miller drifted left and in 67 minutes his cross was met by Boyd but Esson dropped quickly to smother the ball.

Rangers were leaving themselves open at the back because of their desperation to score and Rooney sped on to a long ball from his own defence and slammed it over the bar.

With 17 minutes left Rangers sent on Stevie Naismiith for Fleck but before he could get involved Inverness made another change.

Rooney went off and Odhiambo took over with the obvious instruction of pushing up on Weir and Bougherra.

Aaron Niguez was sent on for Miller with nine minutes left, but tension was sweeping around the stadium as Inverness dug in.

Rangers had two corners in rapid succession but both were defended and they had to retreat and think again.

They barged through in 85 minutes with Bougherra's pace getting him in on Esson but the keeper was courageous as he saved.

Bougherra was through again in 90 minutes but was pulled up for a foul. He was furious and was booked.